That Was the Theater

Theater’s history presents an epic show of rogues and royals, impresarios and revolutionaries, dazzling spectacle and searing insight, famous flops and legendary performances. Each week a current theat­rical personality will focus on an event, individual, icon, or myth from theater’s past that has inspired, haunted, obsessed, or simply bemused them.

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES:

KAREN BROOKS HOPKINS

Karen Brooks Hopkins, in her memoir "BAM … and Then It Hit Me," reflects on her 36-year tenure at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, likening fundraising to a military operation and emphasizing the constant need for strategic adaptation. As president from 1999 until her retirement in 2015, Hopkins played a pivotal role in establishing BAM as a cultural powerhouse, raising funds for ambitious projects and fostering collaborations with renowned artists like Peter Brook and Laurie Anderson. The memoir blends personal anecdotes, fundraising insights, and reflections on BAM's influential role in the Brooklyn arts scene.

ALINE MACMAHON

Enjoy our features covering iconic stars of yesteryear, such as Aline MacMahon, a versatile American actress known for her roles in both film and theater. Born in 1899 and passing away in 1991, she gained recognition for portraying strong and intelligent women on screen during the 1930s and 1940s. Despite critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination, she shied away from the Hollywood spotlight and preferred her privacy. Aline MacMahon's exceptional performances left a lasting legacy in the entertainment industry, earning her respect and admiration from her peers and critics alike.

EILEEN BRENNAN

Born in 1932, Eileen Brennan gained recognition for her role in the Broadway production of "Hello, Dolly!" and later earned acclaim for her portrayal of Captain Doreen Lewis in "Private Benjamin," for which she received an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe win. Throughout her career, she showcased her comedic timing and emotional depth in various films and TV shows. Despite a serious car accident in 1982 that caused severe injuries, she continued to act and remained a beloved figure in the entertainment industry. Eileen Brennan's talent, dedication, and indomitable spirit left a lasting legacy among her fans and peers.

THE LYCEUM

The Lyceum is Broadway's oldest continuously operating "legitimate theater." Lost to foreclosure in the Great Depression, a syndicate composed of George S. Kaufman, Max Gordon, and Moss Hart bought it back in 1940, and the Shubert Organization has operated it since 1950. Playwright Will Eno, who there had his Broadway debut (The Realistic Joneses), investigates the storied history.

LORRAINE HANSBERRY

"What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" That line from Langston Hughes poem "Harlem," inspired the title of Lorraine Hansberry's Broadway debut, the first for an African-American woman playwright. Suzan-Lori Parks explores the vital continued conversations around Hansberry's work.

KEAN’S SWORD A coveted relic: the sword first wielded by Edmund Kean in his legendary 19th-century performance of Richard III. Al Pacino tells why this icon has become the sign of a select and shining knighthood.

A LONG NIGHT’S JOURNEY INTO FAME After seeing the Broadway premiere of Eugene O’Neill;s A Long Day’s Journey into Night, Brooks Atkinson wrote that the American theater now enjoys “size and stature.” This epic play took Broadway by storm, and when the curtain fell on opening night, there was no applause, only silence. But as the curtain rose, the audience rose too, showering the actors with bravos. Many rushed the stage reaching out to embrace the experience. O’Neill biographer, Arthur Gelb recounts the glory of that night and the legacy of the play in his and his wife Barbara's book.

BIRTH OF THE SEAGULL The world premiere of The Seagull was so devastating Chekhov swore off playwriting. Antagonized by the hostility of the opening night audience, Vera Komissarzhevskaya, the renowned Russian actress playing Nina, lost her voice and Chekhov spent the last two acts backstage hiding. Yet, two years later, The Moscow Arts Theater under the direction of Stanislavski revived the play to tremendous praise. How can a play, now such a classic, have such a volatile birth? And what elements contributed to the triumph of the second attempt? Ian Rickson, whose recent production of The Seagull galvanized audiences, reflects on the risks, rewards and devastating moments the theater holds and how those factors ultimately make the collaborative process more precarious. No doubt the legendary cast of the Moscow production, pictured here with Chekhov reading the play, including Vsevolod Meyerhold, Olga Knipper and Stanislavski himself, was key to the success of this historic revival.

REMEMBERING JACK GOLDSTEIN

Jack Goldstein was a pivotal figure in the campaign to secure landmark status for over 25 theaters amid the Times Square redevelopment that threatened their existence. As executive director of Save the Theaters and later involved with Actors’ Equity Association and the Theater Development Fund, he worked to protect Broadway’s historic venues from being lost to development. His efforts led to the designation of 28 theaters as landmarks in 1988, preserving their cultural and architectural heritage.

Goldstein’s influence extended beyond preservation; he also spearheaded the design competition for the new TKTS discount ticket booth in Duffy Square, completed in 2008. His dedication to the arts and historic preservation was informed by his background in historic preservation, his early exposure to Broadway, and his commitment to maintaining the character of New York’s theater district.